Births, weddings and deaths are the occasions you will be invited to, and the ones where a mistake is remembered. This class is practical etiquette as much as vocabulary. It starts with van Gennep's three-stage pattern behind every life ceremony, then works through a baby's first rice-feeding (ചോറൂണ്), how Malayali names with initials work, the wedding words and what to give, and what is expected when someone dies: you go to the house, you sit, and you say very little. It ends with six sentences worth holding ready for the day you need them. Words and phrases in this class: ചോറൂണ് (choroonu) – a baby's first rice-feeding കുഞ്ഞ് (kunju) – baby കല്യാണം (kalyaanam) – wedding വധു (vadhu) – bride വരൻ (varan) – groom വിവാഹാശംസകൾ (vivaahaashamsakal) – congratulations on the wedding എല്ലാ ആശംസകളും (ellaa aashamsakalum) – all good wishes അനുശോചനം (anushochanam) – condolence അന്തരിച്ചു (antharichu) – passed away (formal) വളരെ വിഷമമായി (valare vishamamaayi) – I am very sorry to hear that ദുഃഖത്തിൽ പങ്കുചേരുന്നു (dukhathil pankucherunnu) – I share in your grief കുഞ്ഞിന് എന്ത് പേരിട്ടു? (kunjinu enthu perittu?) – what name did you give the baby? ഞാൻ വരാം (njaan varaam) – I will come In this class: • The three-stage shape behind every life ceremony • Birth, the first rice-feeding, and how Malayali names with initials work • Wedding words, what to give, and what to say to the couple • When someone dies: going to the house, what to say and what to leave unsaid Quizzes below. Dr. Reshmi R Nair — SpeakMalayalam.